Notes / Commercial Description:
Winter Solstice® is our take on the classic style of “winter warmer.” Boasting a deep amber hue and rich mouthfeel, its creamy finish will lift your spirits. Hints of toffee, spice, and caramel tease the senses making this the perfect ale to share with friends and family during the cold days and long nights of winter.

12oz bottle which has a best before 10 June 2016 sticker on it (seems a bit long too me…)

A: Poured into a pint glass a slightly hazy deep amber colour. One finger tan head which disappears slowly.
S: Strong vanilla, caramel and malt in that order followed by some light toffee.
T: Very much like the nose. Prominent vanilla and toffee followed by caramel. Not too sweet which I like.
M: Full bodied, creamy with some light carbonation.
O: This one surprised me in a good way. Although the aroma was a bit weak, the taste was nice as the vanilla, toffee and caramel tastes mixed well together. I would buy this again, but definitely for the winter while its cold and not during the warm spring as it is now.

My friend Mike Sondel recommended this. Mike has the taste buds of a hammer. Why do I listen to him. This is another beer I repeatedly get and don't like. It tastes metallic and odd to me - but enough of the positives. Note to self. Don't order this, and get new friends

Aroma is not strong but has spicy and malty hints. Pours a clear, dark mahogany with a thick and fluffy buff head. Hearty flavor has malty, gingerbread and honey notes, sweet but subtle, hints of cloves and cocoa, very tasty and very much the Winter Holidays! (Bleep Christmas - I celebrate the Winter Solstice!) Texture has good body and plenty of fizz, and a dusty gingerbread hint. Happy whatever-the-heck-you-celebrate-in-December!

Clear dark amber pour with a small off-white head. Aroma of sweet caramel malt, light spice and bread. Taste follows the nose fairly well with a bready and slightly sweet initial taste backed by light spices. Caramel isn’t as pronounced in the taste as it is in the nose. Light to medium bodied and creamy with a lot of carbonation. Finishes sweet and malty with bread and light caramel flavors.

On tap at Rattle n Hum, NYC. Plain & simple & really good, slightly spiced ale. The creamy head disappeared quickly leaving no lacing. Nose did not match the full flavor. If there is a down side it would be a lack of body. There was some, but for a winter brew I'd like something substantial. When all is said & done, I look forward to next winter.

A: medium/dark copper color with off white head that quickly becomes a film.
N: vanilla, caramel, mild notes of dark fruit and cinnamon.
T: dark fruit, caramel, lightly toasty, vanilla, mild nutmeg and cinnamon.
M: thick and velvety without being so much so that it sits heavy in your gut. Nice fizzy balance from the carbonation.

O: a pleasant winter warmer, with an even more pleasant price tag. Will in all likelihood be getting this again.

Poured a beautiful deep copper color. Formed one-finger caramel colored head which didn’t last long.

Tastes: Smooth, mild, malty sweetness (not overly candy sweet) is nicely balanced with a hoppy finish. Vanilla and spice in the nose not intrusive in the taste. Very nicely balanced but could use a touch more of ...something?

Feels: Medium bodied, good carbonation gives a touch of crispness.

A very pleasant easy to drink winter warmer. Not overly ‘seasonal’ with all the fruit and spice that belong in my holiday pies. I could easily sip a couple of these. I will be buying more.

Poured cold from a 12oz can into a pub glass. Full 2 fingers of head that linger. Golden copper hue. Sniff fruit, citrus, unidentifiable spices, sugar, guessing caramel. Taste citrus, hops and seasonal spices like a hint of pumpkin pie, nutmeg and brown sugar but very light. Little hidden bitterness as it goes down very drinkable. Could throw a 6 pack back and take a long winter's nap. Like it...a lot.

Pours a barely clouded copper with a creamy white head that settles down to almost nothing. The aroma malty and light, with hints of caramel, and some light spice notes. The flavor is nice, and close to the taste notes, with hints of toffee, fruits, spices, and caramel. It's not a huge amount of any one flavor and not particularly deep, but all together it is quite enjoyable. The body has a nice weight to it and a nice smooth finish.

Had this on draft last night at The Hourglass Brewery in Longwood, Florida.

I enjoyed it, but it's missing the crispness/bite that make others of the style really good. (For example, Cigar City's Winter Warmer.) Granted, CC'S WW has a higher ABV, but it's the same style as Anderson Valley's. AV's version also seemed a little thin, though it wasn't watery or anything.

This could use a little more "punch," but its very drinkable. Not quite a 4-star beer, IMO, but I'm thinking it's somewhere in the 3.5-3.75 range. I would order it again.

Dark and malty.with a nose that evokes holiday fruit cake and sweet breads. Flavors ate surprisingly deep, with dark fruits and a hint of pumpernickel and caramel. Spices frame the more prominent flavors, staying in the background and not getting in the way (as it should be!). Bread pudding made with dark rum and dark bread comes to mind.

Pours a finger of head on a hazy dark straw body.
The aroma is caramel and
The taste has a malty sweet start, mild lemon bitter, spices in the middle and finishes with a short sweet note.
The texture is smooth.
It has a great balance and warmth.

A- Pours a rubyish light brown color with a 1/2 inch light tan head that retains well before becoming a thin ring around the edge of the glass and a small center patch of surface foam. Semi-resilient lacing leaves a broken ring behind.

S- Slightly sweet, biscuity malt aroma with a hint of spice.

T- Mildly sweet malt with some spice laying on top. The flavors are pretty laid back for a winter warmer which is a nice change of pace while still accomplishing that candy-like essence.

M- Has the tiniest layer of syrupy residue on the tongue. Medium carbonation and a fullish body.

O- A satisfying winter warmer at an above-average ABV. I would buy this again.

Enjoyed from a 12 oz bottle--2014 and fresh.
A yearly favorite, this fine ale pours a brownish red with a nice medium off white head and
some great lacing. Nose of vanilla, fresh baked bread, caramel, and light cinnamon. Flavors
are as always VERY nice. Sweet malts to the front and sides and a nice bready background.
Vanilla and light cinnamon blend in harmony with a light hop balance that gives way to a very
nice mouth feel that is moderately carbonated and highly drinkable with a sweet aftertaste.
An ale that is the better sum of it's parts, THIS is the one I look forward to every single year.
As a side note this bottle ages nicely for a few years producing even greater depth of
character. A must for the experienced as well as the inexperienced.

Appearance: Pours a beautiful, dark, cloudy, mahogany color with a quarter of a finger of white head that quickly dissolved into a thin halo of foam that gripped the sides of the glass and formed a few wispy clouds that partially covered the top of the beer.

Taste: Beautiful! Very toasty and bready up front, like toasted English muffins, followed by some caramel-like sweetness, some black pepper, coriander, and just a hint of hops.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied and smooth, as there is practically no carbonation what-so-ever. Some good carbonation to slightly tickle the taste buds. With an ABV of 6.9%, there is no presence of alcohol on the palate.

Overall: This is an excellent beer, and another one from Anderson Valley!! I love the toasty/malty flavor backed with the caramel. I’m definitely getting some more of this!

Serving type: can poured into glass
Appearance: Beautiful, medium chestnut colour. Upon pouring, forms an incredibly rich, foamy head, albeit one that dissipates quickly.
Smell: Not much of a smell, surprisingly, considering what came next
Taste: Oh, WOW. Nicely malty, with little hops bite, but a lovely overall taste that almost disguises the fairly high ABV.. Just a little bit of the taste remains on the back of the tongue after a sip.
Overall: I'm *really* enjoying this six pack!

A: Beautiful deep ruddy copper and very clear. Thick two finger head subsides quickly into a very delicate ring. no chill haze, moderate carbonation with wispy lacing, looks like caul fat clinging to the glass.

S: nice malty presence. Some cinnamon notes and raisin and figs, like a cinnamon raisin bagel.

T: follows nose plus some caramel or toffee like notes. Smoooth on initial uptake. More malt notes come out on swallow.

M: Velvety smooth on finish with that characteristic bagel notes peeking up. spicy on side of tongue with the perfect carbonation. Very pleasant.

O: this is probably the best of the winter warmers, imo. The spices do not overtly dominate and punch you in the craw. It really is very well balanced and quite malty without being obnoxiously spiced. A go to in winter for sure.

Poured into a Samuel Adams glass it's head disappeared quickly. Color was deep amber with a faint chocolate and raisin odor. Taste was pretty much the same with a slightly bitter taste of unsweetened chocolate. Mouth feel was thick like porter or stout and low carbonation. I didn't like the spices so I won't try this again.